iblpield



F. G. IBLFIELD HAIL MARKING MACHINE.

nrucnlol rum: lov. 24. 1911.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

3 SHEET HUET 1.

wiucslsa: u Mdm lNvaNTnn bY Z Vg ATTBRNEYE.

makin-mmh.:

E'. G. IBLFIELD.

MAIL MARKING IACHIHB.

unicum! nun nov. 24, 1m.

Patented Nov. 4, 19.13.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M-rmzssca;

mfayf ATTORNEYS mmmiml F. G. IELFIBLD.

HAIL MARKING MACHINE.

Humano: rILsn mw-l 24, 1911.

l 1,077,408. Patented N0v.4,191s.

8 SHEETS-BIER! 3.

Mmc-5:15 C! lNvE NTDR Y W Maw ATTDRNEYS mmm-mns' cards and other mail matter.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED C. IELFIELD, 0F SILVER CREEK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB T0 COLUMBIA POSTAL SUPPLy.' COMPANY, 0F SILVER CREEK, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

MAIL-MARKING MACHINE.

Specicaon of Letters Patent.

To a?? whomzt may conc-em:

Be it known that- I, FRED C. Innrmnn, a citizen of the United States, reslding at S1l ver Creek, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in M aiLhIarlnngMachines, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for canceling or post marking letters, postal It is the object of this invention to produce an improved machine of character in which the die on the printing wheel re mains constantlyr in its retracted or moperative position when no letter B prent at the rinting position and which 1s sc orthat when a letter is at the printing position the die on the printing wheel will be shifted through the medium of the letter into its operatlve-position and cause an impreon of the die to be produced on the letter as well as eecting a release of the letter from a stop device and canse the letter to be fed forward to the stacking mechanism.v

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 3 sheets: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mail canceling machine or marker emvmg my improvements, showing one po sition of the printing wheel. Flg. 2 1 s a fragmentary top plan view of the machine, partly in ction, showing another pos1t1on of the printing wheel. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the printing wheel, impreslon roller, stop device and adjacent; parts,show ing the printing wheel and stop device in a position different om that indicated 1n Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 4.- and '5 are fragmentary vertical transverse sections in the cor respondingly numbered lines in Figs. 1 a nd 2. F'v. 6 is a horizontal section in l1ne 6 6, Fig. 7, looking downwardly. Fig. 7 is a rmentary rear side elevation of the machine. Fig. 8 is a to plan view of the wheei, on an e arged scale. Figs. 9 and 10' are fragmentary horizontal sections, on an enlarged scale, taken in lines 9-49 and 10--10, Fig. 4;. respectively.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several chine which is provided on its upper side a horizontal table a fe'ed end or portion 2 which is adapted to hold a stack of letters 3 or other mail matter to be canceled and a receiving end or portion 4 upon which said letters or other mail matter are adapted to be stacked after they have been canceled or post marked.

5, 6 represent the frontand rear sections of an upright guide wall lengthwise of the front and rear arts 2, 4: of the table.

The pack of etters or other mail matter to be canceled or post marked is arranged against the frontside of the guide wall section 5 at the feed end of the table and are held against this wall b means cfa follower 7 which is prefera ly pivoted at one end on the table at a intremote from the guide wall and yieldingl held at its free end in engagement wit the letters by means of a spring 8 connected with a tall 9 on the pivoted end of the follower. The lower edges of the letters preferably rest by gravitv on an endless trave feed belt 10 which operates to eed the entire pile forwardly. The feedv belt paws at its front and rear ends around rollers 11, 12journa1ed in suitable bearin on the' base of the machine, as shown in ig. 7. Each of the letters is fed oli' from the pile on the feed end of the table and carried forwardly by an individual feed mechanism to the printing mechanism which operates to prod uce a st mark on the same. This individual ceding mechanism may be.variously constructed but that shown in the drawings is preferred and comprises a plurality of feed rollers 13, 14 which are turned in such a direction that when the same engage with the foremost letter in the supply stack this letter will be carried to the printing mechanisxn. Two sets or pairs of such feeding rollers are arranged slde by side and mounted u n upright shafts 15, 16 journaled in snita le bearings on the frame of the machine. These two shafts are caused to turn together and in the same direction by means of an idler iniou 1T mounted on the underside of the me or base and engaging with gear wheels 18, 19 at the lower ends of the shafts. 15. 16, as shown in Figs. 6 and Motion is imparted to the feed belt 10 from the shaft l5 by means of intel-meshing bevel Patented Now-.4, 1913.

0 apron or wheels 20 interposed between the .shaft gear 15 and-th shaft of the front roller 11 of this belt, as' shown in Fig. 7.

In order to prevent more than one letter' at a time from being fed awayfrom the supply stack or pile of uncanceled letters a separating device is provided which is preferably constructed as follows: 21 represents a separator arranged opposite the operative portion of the front feeding ott' rollersli and separated therefrom by an intervening space, passageway or throat of suicient width to permit of the passage of but one letter at a time but acting to hold back the remaining letters of the supply stack. This separator has an inclined face so that the front edges of the letters upon approaching the same are wedged or moved toward the guide wall section 5 and the faces of the adjacent feeding ofi rollers 13, 14. This parator is mounted upon a horizontally swinging rock arm 22 which is pivoted on the upper side of the frame or base and the same is yieldingly held in the path of the supply stack of letters by means of a tension device which comprises a guide' or shifting rod :23 pivoted at its inner end to the separator and sliding at its outer end in a stationary lug :24 rising from the base, and a spring :'25 surrounding the shifting or guide rod and bearing at one end against a collar 26 on this rod and at opposite ends against said lug 24. The movement of the se arator toward the front feeding oi ro ers or wheels 14 may be regulated for varying the distance between the same, this being preferably effected by means of a screw nut 2T applied to the outer end of the shifting rod and bearing against the outer side of the lug 24, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As each letter is fed off from the supply stack it is moved forwardly to the ,printing mechanism which embodies my im rove- -ments and which is constructed as fo ows: 28 represents an impression roller which is arranged on one side of the path of the letters or other mail matter as they issue from the feeding oif mechanism and which is mounted upon the upper end of a shaft 29. For the purpose of enabling the mpreion roller to adapt itself to letters or mail matter raging in thickne the shaft 29 is moun in a bearing 30 which is movable -toward and from the letter path, its bearing being preferably arranged at the free end of a horizontally swinging arm 31 which is pivoted on a. stationary arbor or pin 32 secured vertically to the base or frame of the machine. The impreion roller is yield ingiy held in its operative position toward the letter path by means of a spring 33 in-v l between the arm 31 and a lug 34 on the upper side of the frame. The movemetqf roller toward the letter path may be; adjusted to suit the particular charactes-of the mail matter .which is operated preferred means for this purpose conslshng preferably 'of an. adiustable stop screw 35j working in a lug 36 on the upper side of the base or frame and engaging with the front or inner side of the rock arm 31, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

On the lower end of the stationary arbor is mounted a driving pulley 3i' which is driven from any suitable source by means of a belt 3S, Motion is transmitted from this ulley to the shaft of the impression roller y means of a gear wheel 39 turning with this pulley and meshing with a pinion i0 at the lower end of the impression roller shaft. This pulley is also provided with a pinion 41 which meshes with the gear wheel l19 for transmitting motion to the feeding off rollers 13, 1i and the feed belt 10, as shown in Figs. 6 and 'a'. On the opposite side of the letter path transversely in line with the im pression roller is arranged a printing wheel 42 which is secured to the upper end of a shaft 43 journaled in a bearing on the adjacent part of the base or frame, This shaft is turned together with its printing wheel in the direction of the arrow in Figs. 3 and 8 by means of an intermediate or idle gear wheel 44 journaled on the underside of the frame and meshinar with the gear wheel 39 and a gear wheel 45 secured to the lower end of the printing wheel shaft.

46 represents a horizontally swinging die arm or carrier arr d on the upper side of the rinting wheel and pirated at its rear or tra. 'ng end by means of a vertical pin 4T to a bracket 48 on the upper side of the printing wheel. On the outer side of its free front end this carrier or die arm is rov vided with one or more dies 49, 50 w ich are adapted to print canceling lines, dates and post oliice marks cn the letters or other mail matter. When the die arm is retracted or moved' inwardly relatively to the axis of rotation of the printing wheel its printing dies do not more through the path of the letters between the grintmg wheel and the impression roller. ut when this die arm is outwardly into its operative position the faces of the dies are caused to sweep through the letter path and engage with a letter which is assing forwardly between the printing w eel and impression roller for roducing an impression of the dies on the etter. The faces of the die are coated with ink by means of a roller 51 mounted on the up side of the base or frame ad jacentto e outer side of the printing wheel in position to be engaged by the dies during the rptary movement of the same with the prmtlng wheel. This retraction of the die arm out of its printing position and pro ecton into the printing position relatively to the printing wheel is controlled by the letters which are fed forward from the supply stack to the printing mechanism. This otter actuated mechanism is so organized that when a letter is inthe printing position the dies will be projected so as to produce 13:

L59 the thiselever whereby the Iy h 1d th 4- spx-mg' ;61fis caused4 l, to'yiedmgl o retracted position.` Astlie an impression on the letter but when no letter is present in the printing position the dies are-itracted so as to avoid transferring ink from the same to the impression roller 5 which-otherwise would cause the hacks of ,the letters to become smeared-with ink. The preferred means for thus eii'ect 0 the retraction and projection of the dies Into their inoperative and operative position is constructed as follows: 52 represents an upright trip shaft journaled in a von the printing wheel substantially diametrically opposite to the point where the die arm is pivnted to the printing "wheel and provided with an eccentric or. cam 53 which engages with a slot 54 in the front or free end 'of the die arm. At its upper end the tli shaft is provided with an elbow shaped r or trip lever the outer arm 55 of which forms a f or trip finger which projects rearwar y from this shaft while its Inner arm 56 forms a restoring tail which projects radially inward from the trip shaft, as shown in Figs. l= 2 and 3. This tup lever is adapted to be turned so that its eeljng or trip finger either projects laterally beyond the periphery of the prin wheel, as shown in Fig. 1, or is substantie y concentric with the printing wheel and flush with the periphery thereofias shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The trip lever is yieldingly held in either one or the other of these two positions by means of a elding retalning device which preferab y comprises a cam formed on the trip shaft and having a central high part 57 and two flat low part-s 58, 59 on opposite sides of the high part, as shown in Fig. 9, and a retaining lever 60 pivoted on the printing wheel and having one arm to engage the retaining cam while the other arm 1s connected by means of a spring 61 with said printing wheel. When no letter is present in the printing position and the trip finger is pro- Jecting laterally from the printing wheel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, the retaining or detent lever engag with the low face 58 of the re- 'U'cam on the inner'side of the high 5T of the same, as shown in Fig. 9.V a letter is presentat the printing position the trip finger engages with this letter-'and is shifted thereby from its laterally projecting position shown in Figs. 1 and 8 to a position in which it is substantally with the periphery of the rinting wheel, as shown hyyfull lines in igs. 2 and 3`and by lines in Fig. 8. During this 'rotaioryof'the'trip lever the highpart''( oftheeretamng cam dlicats retainingfle'verf and bnngsthe other low part of this cam into engagement with ressre of the with-a 'Jemiat the 'printing position and is moved inwardly, the cam 53 on the trip shaft is turned and moves the die arm outwardly so that the dies thereof are shifted into their operative position, whereby the letter at the printing osition is gripped between the impression ro er and the periphery of the printin wheel and the dies, and the letter 1s fed orward and au impresion of the dies is produced thereon. After the trip finger clears the letter at the printing position and the dies have roduced their mark on the same the ta' of the trip lever en ges with a stationary tappet 6:?l arrange 1n the path of the tail, whereby the trip lever is turned in the direction for againp jecting the trip finger into the letter pa This tappet is preferably supported over the printing wheel by means of a bracket 63 secured to the ad jacent stationary part of the machine. The oscillatory movement of the trip shaft is limited by means of a stop 7 9 on the bracket 80 carried by the printing wheel and adapted to be engaged by stop faces 81, 82 arranged on the trip shaft on opposite sides of the axis of the same, as shown in F ig. 10.

The v riphery of the printing wheel is prefera ly of such length that one rotation of the same will cause a letter of ordinary length to clear the same during one rotation of this wheel so that the trip finger after being again projected into its operative position by the tappet 62 will be ready to again shift the dies into their printing position for producing an impression on the next following letter which has been fed forwardl to the printing tion. If, however, e letter which has just been impressed by the dies is of unusual length the trip iinger, after being projected by means of the tappet 62 into its operative position, will upon engaging the trailing part of such long letter be again retracted and canse the dies to be again projected and produce a second impression on this letter. Such a second impression will, however, not occur in the case of letters of the length usually sent through the mails.

For the purpose o arresting each letter as it is fed forward from the supply stack and reaches the printing position a stop device is provided which 1s preferably constructed as follows: 64 represents a horizontally swinging stop arm which is pivoled at its rear end on the upper side of the 'frame on the same side of the letter path on which the impression roller is pivoted and provided at its free end with a stop shoulder 65 and an upwardly projecting pin or tappet 66 arranged in advance of said shoulder. In its'loperative position this stop arm is swung inwardly so that its stop shoulder is arranged in the letter path adjacent to the Bight between the impression roller and printing wheel or substantially on a line drawn through the pivots of this roller and wheel. The movement of this stop arm in this directie is limited by means of a stop 67 which is preferably constructed of rubber,V

felt or other soft material so as t o render the same noiseless and the stop arm 1s yieldingly held in this position by means of a spring 68 connecting a tail 69 on this arm with the :Emme of the machine as shown in Figs- 1, 2, 3 and 'c'. As each letter is fed orwardl from the supply stack by the eeding o mechanism its front edge engages with the stop shoulder of the arm 64 and is arrested at the lprinting position.

0n the un erside of the outer end of the trip finger the same is provided with a d epen lug or tappet 70. iVhile the trip linger is in its laterally pro]ect1ng position shown in Figs. 1 and 8 and no letter is at the printing position between the impresion roller and printing wheel the tappet 70 of the trip er sweeps through a. circular Sigh the radius of which is greater than the ance from the axis of the printiiitgl'1 wheel to theta pet 660i thestop armso 4atthe tappet the arm clears the tappet of the stop arm an the latter is permitted to remain undisturbed with its shoulder arranged in the path of the letters. When, however, the trip finger is deliected inwardly by gement with the letter at the printf ing position the tappet of the trip finger is brought into a position in which it sweeps through a circular ath the radius of which istlie sameasthe cefrom the axis of the printing wheel to the tappet on the stop arm, whereby the tappet of the trip finger 1s caused to engave the tappet of the stop arm immediately tu um tri anger has been deiiected inwardly by the etter and the sto arm is thereby pushed out of the letter pa so as to permitthe letter at the printing position to move forwardly between the 1mpreion roller and printing wheel and receive an impression of the dies. After the top betn thuetzeilfecithed out of the etterpat y etap o -etri linger and the letter has commenced its orward movement between the impression roller and tingwheel thefreeendofthestop arm Bears against the side of the letter opposite, the printing wheel and the instant the rear or tail end of the letter clears the free end of the stop arm the latter is instantly shifted by its spring into its o tive 'tion in whchits shoulder stan in the etter th and is prepared to intercept the next fo owing letter.

As 4the letters iue from between the impresion roller and printing wheel the same are carried forward to the stacking or receiving end of the table by means of a. deliverybelt'l'l havngits operative stretch A with and on one side of the letter as path andpaszingaround rollers 72, 73 ar- 'mg position, means for causing ranged on the upper end of the impression rollershaft and the upright stacker .shaft 74 journaled in a bearing on the adjacent part of the stacker end of the table. The letters are caused to move with the operative stretch of the delivery belt by means of two prtssure rollers T 76 mounteddon frame an e wit opositesieso eoperativlgsatlcgh of the dlelivery belt, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7. As the letters reach the stacking end of the table thelymare engaged successively by a rotary stac g wheel 77 mounted on the u er end .0f a stacker shaft and moved la y from the stacking end of the table to a rack 78 which projects laterally from this end of the tab e and upon whicn the letters are stacked or gathered after they have been marked or canceled prearatory to being removed by the mail cler or postman.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mail marking machine comprising a print-inor wheel, a printing die mova ly mountedon said wheel and means o ated by the mail matter for shifting said 'e into or out of its operative position on said wheel, said means comprising parts mounted on said printing wheel.

2. A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel, a carrier movabl mounted on said wheel and having aprintiug die for marking mail matter, a trip lever mounted on said wheel and adapted to be turned by ngagement with mail matter at the printing position, and means for causing said die carrier to be moved into its o t tive position as the trip lever is turn by the mail matter.

3. A. mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel, a carrier movably mounted on said wheel and having a printing die for marking mail, matter, a trip lever mounted on said wheel and adapted to beturned by engagement with mail matter at the printing piosition, and a cam turning with said trip ever and operating to move said die carrier into its operative position when said lever is moved by engagement with4 mail matter.

Il. A mail 'marking machine comprising a printing wheel, a carrier movablymounted on said wheel and having a. printing die for marking mail matter a trip lever mounted on said when and adapted to be aimed by engagement with mail matter at the printsaid die cartier to be moved into its o tive position as thetrip lever .is turned y the mail matteij, and'means fon said trip lever. to its normal position after clearing said mail matter.

5..'A mail .marking machine comprising .a

printing wheel, a carrying arm pivoted 't its rear end on said wheel and prof` vided a4 printing -die for marking -mail matter, a. trip shaft 'ournaled on the printing Wheel and provi ed with a shifting cam engaging with said carrying arm, and a trip lever momted on said shaft and adapted to be turned by engaging mail matter at the printing position and cause the cam to move the die on said arm into its operative position.

6. A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel, a carrier movably mounted on said wheel and having a printing die for marking mail matter, a trip lever mounted on said wheel and adapted to be turned by engagement with mail matter at the print ing position, means for causing said die carrier to be moved into its o rative position as the trip lever is turned y the mail matter, means for restoring said trip lever to its normal position after clearing said mail matter, and a re 0' device for yieldingly holding said trip ever and aociated arts either in their operative or in their lnoperative position.

7. A mail marking machine comprising a rotary printing wheel, a carrying arm plvoted at its rear end on said wheel and provided vvith a printing die for marking mail matter, a trip shaft journaled on the printing wheei and provided with a 0' cam engaging vit-h said carrying arm an also provided with a retaining cam having a high part and low parts on opposite sides of the hivh part, a retaining lever mounted on said 1v eel and yieldingly enga said retaining cam, a trip lever mount on said shaft and adapted to be turned by ging the mail matter at the printing positlon for moving the die into its o tive position, and a stationary tap said trip lever after e same clears the mail matter andtoreturnthe sameto its operativeA position.

8. A mail markmg` machine comprising' a rotary printing wheel, a arm plvoted at its rear end on said wh and provided with a printing die for markm' g mail matter, a tri shaft 'ournaled on the printingvvheelan provi edwitha cam engagilg with said arm an also rovid with a retainmg cam having a partandlowparts onopposite sides of a apted to engage the high part, a retaining lever mounted on said wheel and yieldingly engaging said retaining cam, a trip lever mounted on said shaft and having a trip arm adapted to engage with the mail .matter at the printing position and a restoring tail, and a stationary tappet adapted to be engaged by said. restoring tail.

9. A mail marking machine comprising a printinegi wheeL- a printing die mova 1y mount on said wheel, means for mo said die into and out of its operative posltion comprising a trip lever mounted on said Wheel and adapted to enUage mail matter at the printing position and a stop adapted to be normally arranged in the path of the mail matter and to be deected out of said path by the trip' lever when the latter is shifted by engagementwith the mail matter.

10. A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel, a printing die movably mounted on said wheel, means for moving said die into and out of its operative position comprising a trip lever mounted on said wheel and adapted to engage mail matter at the print-ing position and provided with a tappet, and a. stop arm having a shoulder adapted to normall1 stand in the ath of the mail matter an to be defi out of said path by the tappet of said trip lever.

11. A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel, a. printing die movahly mounted on said Wheel, means for movmg said die into and out of its operative position comprising a trip lever mounted on said wheel and adapted to engage mail matter at the printing position and provided with a tappet, a stop arm havinta shoulder adapted to normally stand in e path of the mail matter and provided with a tappet adapted to be engaged b v the tappet of said tri lever for detiectng the stop arm out of sai path, and means for yieldingly holding said stop arm in a position in which its shoulder stands in said path.

Witness my hand this 21st day of November, 1911.

FRED C. IELFIEID.

Witnesses:

Gno. H. Sacrum, Ronmrr N. Enum.

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